10 Days in Iceland: Extended Itinerary

Ten days in Iceland allows either a full Ring Road circuit at a comfortable pace, or the South Coast plus North Iceland plus a major western detour (Snæfellsnes or Westfjords). This itinerary follows the Ring Road option — the most complete introduction to Iceland’s diversity, covering volcanic highlands, glacier lagoons, whale-watching harbours, and fjord landscapes in one circuit.

All prices are approximate as of 2026. Car hire cost assumes a mid-range compact SUV. Accommodation prices are per room per night.

Day 1: Arrive — Reykjanes Peninsula and Reykjavík

Arrive at Keflavík. Pick up your rental car in arrivals. If time permits before check-in, drive the Reykjanes Peninsula circuit (allow 2–3 hours): Gunnuhver mud pools (free, 20 minutes from airport), Reykjanestá lighthouse (Iceland’s southernmost point), Bridge Between Continents (free, walk the footbridge between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates), and Krýsuvík geothermal area (free).

Evening: Check into Reykjavík. Dinner at Coocoo’s Nest in the Old Harbour (ISK 2,800–4,500 mains) or a bowl at the Noodle Station (ISK 1,800–2,400). Walk Laugavegur if energy allows.

Sleep: Reykjavík.

• Budget: Kex Hostel (Skúlagata) — private room approximately ISK 18,000–22,000
• Mid-range: Hótel Borg (Pósthússtræti) — approximately ISK 38,000–55,000
• Splurge: The Retreat at Blue Lagoon (Grindavík, near airport) — from approximately ISK 120,000

Day 2: Reykjavík City

One full day in the capital. Hallgrímskirkja church — take the lift to the top for views over the city (entry ISK 1,000, open 09:00–21:00 in summer). National Museum of Iceland on Suðurgata (ISK 2,500 adult, closed Monday). Perlan museum on the hill south of the city (ISK 4,990 adult; combination ticket with ice cave exhibit ISK 6,990). Laugavegur shopping street for lunch and afternoon.

Afternoon option: Book a whale watching tour from the Old Harbour — Elding and Whale Safari both depart from the harbour (3 hours, approximately ISK 12,900–14,000 adult, book ahead in summer).

Alternative afternoon: Sky Lagoon geothermal spa, 8km from the centre (from ISK 8,990, must pre-book at skylagoon.com).

Dinner: Forsæla Matarhús for Icelandic lamb (ISK 4,500–7,500) or Café Loki near Hallgrímskirkja for traditional Icelandic food at more modest prices (ISK 2,000–3,500).

Sleep: Reykjavík (same as Day 1).

Day 3: Golden Circle

The classic day circuit: Þingvellir National Park (free entry; walk the Almannagjá canyon and the Silfra fissure — snorkelling in Silfra ISK 19,900, book at Dive.is or Arctic Adventures weeks in advance) → Geysir geothermal field (free; watch Strokkur erupt every 6–8 minutes) → Gullfoss waterfall (free; one of Iceland’s most impressive). Return to Reykjavík in the evening, or continue to an overnight south of the Golden Circle.

Optional add-on: Fontana geothermal baths at Laugarvatn (on the Golden Circle route, ISK 3,500 adult).

Lunch: Geysir Bistro at the Geysir Centre (ISK 2,000–3,500).

Sleep: Return to Reykjavík, or continue south to Selfoss or Hvolsvöllur.

• Selfoss mid-range: Hótel Selfoss — approximately ISK 28,000–38,000

Day 4: South Coast — Vík

The most scenic driving day in Iceland’s most accessible region. Seljalandsfoss waterfall (parking ISK 900; walk behind the waterfall — Iceland’s most theatrical cascade) → nearby Gljúfrabúi canyon waterfall (free, short scramble through a canyon) → Skógafoss waterfall (free; 527 steps up the cliff beside it for views over the coast) → Sólheimasandur DC-3 plane wreck (parking ISK 800; 4km walk each way across black sand) → Reynisfjara black sand beach (free; respect the warning signs — rogue waves have killed visitors here; keep 30m from the surf).

Sleep: Vík í Mýrdal.

• Budget: Hótel Vík í Mýrdal — approximately ISK 24,000–32,000
• Mid-range: Icelandair Hotel Vík — approximately ISK 36,000–50,000
• Splurge: Black Beach Suites (near Reynisfjara) — approximately ISK 55,000–80,000

Dinner in Vík: Sudur-Vík restaurant (ISK 3,200–6,500) or the hotel restaurant.

Day 5: East South Coast — Höfn

Drive from Vík east along the coast. Dyrhólaey promontory (free; drive to the lighthouse for views of the black sand coast, puffin colony May–July) → Skaftafell (Vatnajökull National Park, free entry; glacier walk on Svinafellsjökull with a guide from approximately ISK 10,500–14,000, book at Glacier Guides or Local Guide) → Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon (free to view; zodiac boat tour ISK 9,900, amphibian boat tour ISK 7,900 — book at glacierlagoon.is) → Diamond Beach (free; walk among the icebergs washed ashore, 5 minutes’ walk from the lagoon).

Sleep: Höfn í Hornafjörður.

• Budget: Höfn Hostel (Hafnarbraut) — dorms or private rooms from ISK 12,000–22,000
• Mid-range: Hótel Edda Höfn — approximately ISK 28,000–40,000
• Splurge: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon (near Jökulsárlón) — from approximately ISK 55,000

Dinner in Höfn: Pakkhús restaurant is the best in town, known for local langoustine (humarsúpa ISK 2,800, langoustine mains ISK 5,500–8,500).

Day 6: East Fjords — Egilsstaðir

Drive the East Fjords Ring Road section (approximately 270km, 3.5–4.5 hours with stops). The scenery is dramatically different from the south — steep fjord walls, remote fishing villages, and almost no tourists. Key stops:

Djúpivogur: Small fishing village with the Eggin í Gleðivík egg sculpture installation on the harbour (free).

Stöðvarfjörður: The extraordinary Petra’s Stone Collection (Steinasafn Petru) — a private mineral and crystal collection in a private house and garden. Entry approximately ISK 1,500 adult. One of the most unusual museums in Iceland.

Fáskrúðsfjörður: Originally a French fishermen’s base in the 19th century. The Fjarðabyggð French Hospital Museum covers this history.

Seyðisfjörður (27km detour from Egilsstaðir): The most picturesque town in the East Fjords, up a steep fjord with waterfalls on both sides of the road. The painted rainbow road leads to the church. Worth the detour.

Sleep: Egilsstaðir.

• Budget: Egilsstaðir Guesthouse — approximately ISK 18,000–24,000
• Mid-range: Hótel Eyvindarstaðir — approximately ISK 30,000–40,000

Dinner: Skálinn restaurant in Egilsstaðir (ISK 2,800–5,500), or grab groceries from Samkaup supermarket for a self-catering evening.

Day 7: Mývatn

Drive from Egilsstaðir toward Mývatn (approximately 200km, 2.5 hours direct). Consider the detour to Dettifoss (Europe’s most powerful waterfall by volume) via Route 864 (gravel, accessible to regular cars) — add 1 hour to the journey.

Arrive Mývatn early afternoon: Dimmuborgir lava formations (free, a labyrinth of lava pillars and caves) → Skútustaðir pseudo craters (free) → Námaskarð geothermal area (free; bubbling mud pots and fumaroles on a hillside — eerie and impressive) → Krafla volcano and Víti crater (free; the walk to the crater rim takes 30 minutes from the car park).

Evening: Mývatn Nature Baths (approximately ISK 6,500 adult as of 2026 — significantly cheaper than the Blue Lagoon and less crowded; open 09:00–midnight in summer; myvatnnaturebaths.is).

Sleep: Mývatn area.

• Budget: Hlíð Guesthouse — approximately ISK 18,000–26,000
• Mid-range: Hótel Gigur — approximately ISK 35,000–50,000
• Splurge: Dimmuborgir Guesthouse (lakeside) — approximately ISK 45,000–65,000

Day 8: Húsavík and Akureyri

Morning: If you didn’t see Krafla yesterday, start with the volcano (1 hour). Drive to Húsavík (100km from Mývatn, 1.5 hours).

Húsavík whale watching: The best place in Iceland for reliable humpback whale sightings June–August. North Sailing and Gentle Giants both operate from the harbour. Tours run 3 hours, prices approximately ISK 12,900–15,000 adult as of 2026. Book ahead in July and August — tours sell out. GeoSea geothermal baths in Húsavík (ISK 4,500 adult) are worth an hour if time allows, offering sea views from the pools.

Húsavík Whale Museum (ISK 2,500 adult): A well-presented museum with full whale skeletons. Good context before or after the boat trip.

Drive to Akureyri (90km south, 1.5 hours). Check in and explore the town centre.

Dinner: Rub23 restaurant (Kaupvangsstræti) — seafood and sushi, ISK 3,800–7,500 per person. One of the best restaurants in North Iceland; book ahead.

Sleep: Akureyri.

• Budget: Akureyri Backpackers (Hafnarstræti) — from ISK 12,000 private
• Mid-range: Hótel Akureyri (Hafnarstræti) — approximately ISK 28,000–40,000
• Splurge: Icelandair Hotel Akureyri — approximately ISK 42,000–60,000

Day 9: Akureyri and Goðafoss

Morning in Akureyri town: Akureyrarkirkja church (free; the modernist church on the hilltop, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson) → Akureyri Botanical Garden (Lystigarðurinn — free entry, remarkable collection for this latitude) → coffee at Bláa Kannan (the iconic blue café on Hafnarstræti, established 1910, from ISK 500).

Depart Akureyri south on Route 1. Stop at Goðafoss waterfall (47km south, free, 45 minutes): one of Iceland’s most photographed waterfalls, where the 10th-century chieftain Þorgeir is said to have thrown his pagan idols when Iceland adopted Christianity. Allow 45 minutes.

Continue west through Skagafjörður valley toward Varmahlíð — an area known for Icelandic horse breeding and river rafting. If interested, Hestheimar and Lýtingsstaðir both offer horse tours from approximately ISK 8,000–12,000 per hour.

Overnight: Near Borgarnes or the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (if doing Day 10 Option B).

• Borgarnes mid-range: Hótel Hamar — approximately ISK 28,000–40,000

Day 10: Return to Reykjavík (or Snæfellsnes Day)

Option A — Direct Return with Settlement Centre

Drive via Borgarnes. Stop at the Settlement Centre (Landnámssetur) — an excellent interactive exhibition covering Iceland’s Viking-age settlement (ISK 2,600 adult, or ISK 3,800 for a combination ticket including the Egill Skallagrímsson saga exhibition). Allow 1.5 hours.

Continue to Reykjavík (75km, 1 hour). Drop the car at the airport or in the city depending on your flight.

Blue Lagoon option: If your flight is late afternoon or evening and you haven’t visited yet, the Blue Lagoon is 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport (47km from Reykjavík). Entry from approximately ISK 9,990 as of 2026. Pre-booking is mandatory — timed slots only, book at bluelagoon.com weeks in advance in summer.

Option B — Snæfellsnes Peninsula (Long Day)

Drive the full Snæfellsnes circuit from Borgarnes via Route 54 and 574 (approximately 12 hours of combined driving and stops): Kirkjufell mountain (free; the most photographed mountain in Iceland, near Grundarfjörður) → Arnarstapi coast walk (free; dramatic basalt sea arch formations, 2km walking path) → Djúpalónssandur black pebble beach (free; four lifting stones test old fishermen’s strength, and scattered metal wreckage from a 1948 British trawler) → Snæfellsjökull glacier at the peninsula’s tip (Vatnajökull National Park service centre, free entry to surroundings; guided snowmobile tours on the glacier from approximately ISK 22,000) → return to Reykjavík via Borgarnes (total drive approximately 350km).

Budget Summary (per person, 10 days)

Category	Budget	Mid-Range	Splurge
Accommodation (9 nights)	ISK 135,000	ISK 270,000	ISK 500,000+
Car hire + fuel	ISK 90,000	ISK 120,000	ISK 160,000
Activities (main tours, entry fees)	ISK 45,000	ISK 80,000	ISK 130,000
Food (mix of supermarkets and restaurants)	ISK 60,000	ISK 95,000	ISK 150,000
Total	~ISK 330,000	~ISK 565,000	~ISK 940,000

Approximate as of 2026. Excludes international flights. Budget tier assumes hostel privates, supermarket lunches, and selective paid activities. Splurge assumes boutique hotels and full restaurant dining throughout.

Packing and Practical Notes

Car hire: Book a compact SUV (e.g. Toyota RAV4 or similar) for the Ring Road. You don’t need a 4WD for the paved Ring Road, but a higher clearance vehicle handles gravel detours and any unplanned stops more comfortably. Book at least 2–3 months ahead for summer travel — inventory goes quickly.

Weather: Pack waterproof jacket and trousers even in July. Weather changes within minutes; the Ring Road encounters microclimates throughout. The south coast and east coast see the most rain; the north is typically drier and colder.

Booking order: Lock in car hire first (capacity-constrained), then accommodation in Vík and Höfn (small towns with limited beds), then Jökulsárlón boat tours and whale watching in Húsavík. Leave the Golden Circle until last — it’s the most flexible day.

Road app: Download the road.is app before departure. It shows live road conditions, closures, and weather alerts by road section.